When should I use the API?

When you should use API processing depends on your needs.

Clients often choose to use API processing when they wish to use AtData’s services in real time, as emails are collected (processing a few records at a time is just fine!).

For example, AtData’s Email Validation API can be used to validate a user’s email address as they sign up for an email newsletter, ensuring the email is correct and deliverable. AtData’s Email Intelligence API may also be used to attach demographic information to that user as they enter the company’s database, leading to stronger segmentation and targeting instantly. AtData’s Identity Matching API can provide a postal address for a captured email.

Using the API requires a developer to do the appropriate programming to integrate the API. An experienced developer can do this in under a hour, and we provide software development kits (SDKs) in various programming languages to speed up the process.

The real-time API in conjunction with the List API for file processing allows you to fully automate your data processing needs with a fine degree of control, avoiding tedious manual processing and uploading on your end.

Batch processing should be used when a client wishes to use AtData’s services on an existing database or on more than a thousand emails at once.

If you’re only processing files occasionally, using the InstantData website is the simplest method. To automate processing without programming, check out our secure FTP-based processing.